Method and apparatus for manufacturing heat exchange units



May 2, 1933. w. c. RITTER 1,907,006

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING HEAT EXCHANGE UNITS Filed March9, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l 23 26 /3 Q 2 i 2 28 2 i z 5/ A I k h E V 45 21/d} W u.uu z: I 53 A2 rm 45 rr-n il 3? 46 Z A w 11 4 a A H 38 %r /0ATTORNEYS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING HEAT EXCHANGE UNITSFiled March 9, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 2, 1933.

W. C. RITTER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR-MANUFACTURING HEAT EXCHANGE UNITSFiled March 9, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 2, 1933 WILLIAM C.BITTER, OF DETROIT, IVIICI-IIGAN, ASSIGNGR T LONG MANUFACTURING COMPANY,OF DETRGIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN METHOD AND APPARATUS FORTMANUFACTUBING HEAT EXCHANGE UNITS Application filed March a,

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing heatexchange units of the type provided with a plurality of tubes having aplurality of radiating fins.

The invention concerns itself more particularly with the manufacture ofcircular or annular heat exchange units of the fin and tube type andcontemplates an improved method and anovel apparatus for accomplishingthis result in a simple and efficient manner.

A further object of this invention is to provide apparatus which, inaddition to ex- Jediting the method of manufacture and reducing the costthereof, insures proper s racing of the radiating fins on the tubes.

The foregoing as well as other objects will be made more apparent asthis description proceeds, especially when considered in connection withthe accompanying drawings,

wherein Figure l is a central sectional view through the assemblingapparatus;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view partly in section of theconstruction shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the construction shown in Figure l withcertain parts broken away for the sake of clearness;

Figure l: is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the manner inwhich the fins are assembled upon the tubes;

Figure 5 is a plan view of a completed radiator unit constructed inaccordance with this invention; and V Figure 6 is a view similar toFigure 3 showing the parts in'another position.

In general, the present invention contemplates fashioning circular heatexchange units of the type previously described by uniting together aplurality of prefasnioned segments. The segments are formed by arranginga plurality of fins in separate groups with the fins in each grouparranged on a common radius and provided with preformed openingstherethrough also having a common radius. A plurality of tubescorresponding in length of curvature to the segments are extendedthrough the openings in the fins in each group and serve to assemble thegroups 1931. Serial No. 521,335.

sides of the openings upon being extended therethrough for establishinga contact therebetween and incidently for temporarily securing the finsto the tubes to permit the seg ment to be removed from the apparatuswithout disturbing the spacing of the fins.

Upon removal of the segment from the apparatus, the fins may bepermanently secured to the tubes in any suitable manner such as by asoldering operation.

The particular method employed for fashioning the heat exchange unitswill be more fully understood by the detailed description of the novelapparatus utilized in carrying out the method.

In detail, the apparatus comprises a table 10 having a substantiallyflat top portion 11 centrally apertured as at 12 for the passagetherethrough of the vertically extending drive shaft 13. The drive shaft13 is j0urnaled at the lower end thereof in a bearing let carried by aplate 15 secured in spaced relation below the top portion of the table11 by means of the brackets 16 carried by the table. For supporting taeupper end of the drive shaft 13, I provide a bracket 17 having theopposite ends thereof secured to opposite sides of the table as at 18and having downwardly extending portions 19 intermediate the endsthereof for supporting a suitable bearing 20 which in turn forms ajournal for the upper end of the shaft 13.

Mounted upon the top portion 11 of the table for movement relativethereto is a pair of fin holding devices 21 and 22 having the inner endsthereof arranged in superposed relation and journaled upon the shaft 13intermediate the bracket 17 and top portion 11 of the table. The outerend portions 23 of the fin holding devices are arranged in a commonhorizontal plane and in the present instance are fashioned to formquarter segments of a circle as clearly shown in Figure 3 of thedrawings. The arrangement is such that when the outer end portions 23are in abutting relation, they cooperate with each other to form asubstantially semi-circular section.

As shown particularly in Figure 4, the outer end portions 23 of thedevices 21 and 22 are formed with a plurality of laterally, spacedupwardly projecting partitions 25 extending radially from the axis ofrotation of the drive shaft 13. The space between the partitions 25 issuch as to receive the radiating fins of the heat exchange unit and eachof the partitions are vertically slotted as at 26 opposite the openings27 formed in the fins. The construction is such that the slots 26 in thepartitions and the openings 27 in the fins are arranged on a commonradius concentric with the axis of rotation of the shaft 13 forreceiving the semi-circular tube sections 28 of the heat exchange unit.

Upon assembling the fins with the holding devices 21 and 22, the latterare in the position shown in Figure 3 and the tubes 28 are supportedupon the table opposite the fin holding devices by means of the clamps29. The clamps 29 are detachably secured to the top portion 11 of thetable and are preferably formed of cooperating sections 30 and 31engageable with opposite side walls of the tubes and detachably clampedtogether by means of the fastener elements 32. The semicircular tubes 28are of a radius coincident with the radius of the slots 26 and openings27 are held by the clamps 29 in registration with the aforesaid openings27 and slots 26 so that rotation of the holding devices about the axisof the shaft causes the tubes to project through the slots and openingsaforesaid. The length of the tubes is so determined thatwhen the partsare in the position shown in Figure 6, the opposite ends of the tubesextend within the slots 26 in the end partitions 33 of the fin holdingdevices 21 and 22 in registration with the openings 27 in the adjacentfins. The arrangement is such that when the devices 21 and 22 are movedto extend the tubes through the fins, the opposite ends of the tubeswill extend beyond the fins at the opposite ends of the devices 21 and22 so as to permit assembling the ends with the headers A and B as willbe more fully hereinafter set forth.

Referring now to the operation of the apparatus as thus far describedand assuming that the parts thereof are in the position shown in Figure3, it will be apparent that since the tubes 28, slots 26 and openings 27are on a common radius concentric with the axis of rotation of the shaft13, rotation of the devices 21 and 22 in opposite directions about theaforesaid axis causes the end portions of the tubes to extend throughthe slots 26 in the partitions and openings 27 in the fins. As soon asthe opposite end portions of the tubes are extended Within the fins. the

- clamps 29 are preferably detached from" the tubes and the table out ofthe path of travel of the devices 21 and 22 permitting continuedmovement of the latter in the aforesaid directions until the endportions 33 of the devices abut each other at which time the tubes areextended through all of the fins supported by the devices 21 and 22 andone section of the heat exchange unit is thus formed.

The section thus formed is then removed from the apparatus and the fins24 secured to the tubes in any suitable manner such as by a solderingoperation. The apparatus is then again set up and another sectionindentieal to the one just described is produced in the same manner asthe latter. The two sections may then be secured together by the headersA and B forming a substantially circular or annular unit. In thisconnection it is to be noted that the opposite ends of the twosemicircular sections may be joined to the headers by soldering orotherwise securing the free ends of the tubes, which, as previouslystated, project beyond the end fins, to the headers. For effecting arotation of the fin holding devices 21 and 22 in opposite directions toextend the tubes 28 within the fins, I provide the followingconstruction. Journaled upon the table 10 below the top portion 11thereof is a shaft 35 having a suitable hand wheel 36 secured to one endthereof for rotating the same and having a beveled gear 37 secured tothe opposite end portion and adapted to mesh with a correspondinglyshaped gear 38 secured to the lower end of the drive shaft 13. Keyed tothe drive shaft 13 is a second beveled pinion 39 adapted to mesh with apair of beveled pinions 40 and 41 respectively scoured to the drivenshafts 42 and 43 extending outwardly from diametrically opposite sidesof the drive shaft 13. The arrangement is such that rotation of thedrive shaft in one direction effects a rotation of the driven shafts 42and 43 in an opposite direction. The outer end portions of the drivenshafts 42 and 43 are journaled in suitable brackets 44 extendingupwardly from the plate 15 and beveled pinions 45 and 46 are securedrespectively to the shafts 42 and 43. The pinions 45 and 46 respectivelymesh with suitable racks 47 and 48 which in turn are respectivelysecured to the fin holding devices 21 and 22. Thus, it will be observedthat rotation of the hand wheel 36 effects a rotation of the pin holdingdevices in opposite directions about the axis of the shaft 13 to sleevethe fins over the tubes as previously described. Rotation of the finholding devices 21 and 22 is facilitated by means of a plurality ofrollers 49 journaled upon suitable pins 50 secured to the periphery ofthe devices 21 and 22 and engaging the top surface of the table. In thisconnection it is to be further noted that the devices are accuratelyguided during rotation to extend the tubes through the openings '27 inthe fins by :a suitable plate 51 secured in spaced relation to the topportion 11 of the table by means of fastener elements 52 and cooperatingwith the latter portion of the table to form a journal 53 for receivingthe rollers 49.

Thus, from the foregoing it will be ob served that the particular methodemployed herein for fashioning circular heat exchange units consists insupporting a series of laterally spaced fins in two separate groups,each group in the specific embodiment of the invention corresponds to aquarter of a circle with the fins in each group arranged on a commonradius struck from the center of the circle. The fins in each groupextend radially outwardly from the above mentioned center and aspreviously stated are formed with a plurality of openings therein alsoarranged on a common radius struck from the center aforesaid forreceiving a plurality of tubes. The tubes are semi-circular and aresupported concentric with the above center on the same radius as theopenings in the fins so that relative rotation of the groups and tubescauses the latter to extend through the openings in the fins of bothgroups uniting the latter to form a semi-circular section correspondingto substantially one-half of the heat exchange unit. The segment thusfashioned is removed from the apparatus and the fins and tubespermanently secured together by a soldering or other suitable operation.The above operations are then duplicated to form a second semi-circularsegment which upon completion is united to the semicircular segmentpreviously formed by means of the headers to form a substantiallycircular unit.

W hat I claim as my invention is 1. Apparatus for forming substantiallycircular heat exchange units having means for supportin a plurality offins extending radially from a fixed point and provided with openingstherethrough located on a radius struck from said fixed point, means forsupporting a tube on the radius afore- 'd, and means for effectingrelative move ment of the two above mentioned means about the fixedpoint aforesaid to extend the tube through the openings in the fins.

2. Apparatus for fashioning substantially circular heat exchange unitshaving a sup port mounted for swinging movement about a fixed axis andfashioned to position a plurality of fins formed with aperturestherethrough located on a common radius struck from the axis aforesaid,and means for supporting a tube on a radius coincident with the radiusaforesaid whereby movement of the fins about the aforesaid axis relativeto the tube causes the latter to extend through the openings in thefins.

3. Apparatus for forming substantially circular heat exchange unitshaving means for supporting a plurality of fins provided with openingstheret-hrough located a predetermined distance from a fixed point, andmeans for supporting a tube on a radius concon trio with the pointaforesaid and in registration with the openings whereby relativemovement of the fins andtube about the said fixed point toward eachother causes the tube to extend through the openings.

4. Apparatus for fashioning substantially circular heat exchange unitsof the fin and tube type having a plurality of supporting devicesmounted for relative movement about a common axis and provided withmeans for positioning a plurality of fins extending radially from saidaxis and having openings therothrough concentric with the axis, meansfor supporting a tube between the supporting devices and on radiuscoincident with the radius of said openings, and means for moving saiddevices about the axis in opposite directions for extending the tubethrough the openings in the fins supported by both devices.

5. Apparatus for fashioning substantially circular heat exchange unitsof the fin and tube type having a plurality of supporting devicesmounted for relative movement about a common axis and provided withmeans for positioning a plurality of fins having openings therethrougharranged on a radius concentric with the axis, and means for supporttinga tube between the supporting devices and on a radius coincident withthe radius of the openings in the fins whereby movement of the devicesabout the axis aforesaid toward the tube causes the latter to extendthrough the openings in the fins supported by both devices. I

6. Those steps in the method of manufacturing substantially circularheat exchange units having fins and having a member ex- .tending throughthe openings in the fins, which consist in supporting a plurality offins with the. openings arranged on a common radius, and relativelyshifting said fins and a member to engage the member within theopenings.

7. Those steps in the method of manufacturing substantially circularheat exchange units ofthe fin and tube type which consist in supportinga plurality of fins having openings therein with the openings arrangedon a common radius, and relatively shifting said fins and a tube toengage the latter within the openings in the fins.

8. Those steps in the method of manufacturing substantially circularheat exchange units of the fin and tube type which consist in supportinga plurality of groups of fins with the openings in each fin throughwhich the tubes pass arranged on a common radius, and uniting-saidgroups by relatively shifting the latter and tubes to engage the tubeswithin the openings in thefins.

9. Apparatus for forming heat exchange units having fins provided withopenings therethrough and arcuate tubes extending through the openings,comprising means for supporting a plurality of fins with the openingstherethrough arranged concentric with respect to a fixed point, meansfor supporting a tube in registration with the openings, and means foreffecting a relative movement of the two above mentioned means forengaging the tube within the openings in the fins.

10. Apparatus for fashioning heat exchange units having fins providedwith openings therethrough and arcuate tubes extending through theopenings, comprising a pair of supporting devices mounted for relativemovement about a fixed axis and having means for positioninga pluralityof fins with the openings therethrough concentric with the said axis,means for supporting a tube between the supporting devices and on aradius coincident with the radius about which the openings are locatedand in registration with the openings, and means for moving said devicesabout the axis in opposite directions for extending the tube through theopenings in the fins supported by both devices.

11. Those steps in the method of n1anufacturing heat exchange unitshaving fins and substantially a r c u a t e tubes extending throughopenings in the fins, which consist in supporting a plurality of finswith the openings therethrough arranged concentric with respect to afixed point, positioning a tube on a radius coincident with the radiusabout which the openings aforesaid are located and in registrationtherewith, and relatively shifting the fins and tube about the fixedpoint aforesaid to engage the tube within the openings in the fins.

12. Those steps in the method of manufac- I turing heat exchange unitshaving fins and circular tubes extending through the fins which consistin positioning a series of fins in separate groups with the openingstherethrough arranged concentric with respect to a fixed point,supporting an arcuate tube between the groups in'registration with theopenings therethrough, and moving said groups toward each other relativeto the tube to engage the latter within the openings and thereby form asegment of the heat exchange unit.

13. Those steps in the method of manufacturing substantially circularheat exchange units of the fin and tube type which consist inpositioning a series of fins in separate groups with the openingsthrough the fins arranged concentric with respect to a fixed point,supporting an arcuate tube between the groups in registration with theopenings through the fins, relatively moving the groups about said pointtoward the tube to engage the latter within the openings and therebyform a segment of the heat exchange unit, similarly forming anothersegment of the unit and subsequently'securing said segments together.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM C. BITTER.

